Typewriter ribbon guard and mounting



July 31, 1962 E. o. ROGGENSTEIN NPI-:WRITER RIBBON GUARD AND MOUNTING 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed Jan. l?, 1958 5B FIG. 9.

INVENTOR EDWIN O. RO GG ENSTE IN wwwwwwwwuwnnmmun/ July 31, 1962 E. o. RoGGr-:NsTElN TYPEWRITER RIBBON GUARD AND MOUNTING 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Jan. 17, 1958 FIG. I2.

FIG. IO.

FIG. lI.

FIG. I4.

24 47 lNvENToR EDWIN o. ROGGENSTEIN United Erstes TYPEWRITER RIBBQN GUARD AND f MGUNTING Edwin Otto Roggenstein, Stamford, Conn., assignor to Sperry Rand Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Original application Jan. 17, 1958, Ser. No. 709,582, now Patent No. 2,930,469, dated Mar. 29, 1960. Divided and this applicationDec. 22, 1959, Ser. No. 861,401 3 Claims. (Cl. 197-160) This invention relates to ink ribbons and means for mounting the same in the ribbon feeding mechanisms of typewriters or like machines.

An important object of the invention is to provide a ribbon and spool package which will facilitate the changing of a typewriter ribbon without soiling the fingers of the typist.

A further Objectis to provide means for adapting the ribbon spools to the ribbon feedmechanismsof different machines without the need of altering the structures of these mechanisms.

A still further object of the invention is to provide guard means that Vwill enable the typist to thread the ribbon through the vibrator without soiling the ngers and will prevent wrinkling or twisting of the ribbon during adjustment.

VStill further objects of the invention include the provision of means for mounting the ribbon on a vibrator having guide arms thatare opened by the lingers for in-V sertion of the ribbon and are thereafter closed by the initial typing action; to provide an ink ribbon spool package from which interengaging spools can be readily removed and pulled apart a predetermined amount so that they can be dropped into the spool cups and at the same time be adjusted so that guards thereon will be properly positioned to iit on the ribbon vibrator; to provide a combination guard and guide structure that permits manipulation of the ribbon without soiling the fingers; to provide a spool that can be dropped into position in the spool holder to be engaged automatically by a ribbon feed ci.

and reversing member; and to provide a 'one piece guard that can be used to tauten the ribbon for quick and easy positioning in the vibrator. f

With these and other objects in View, the invention Vcomprises certain constructions hereinafter described and then particularly pointed out in the claims, preferred embodiments of the invention being illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a double spool as it would appear when removed from the wrapper,

FIGURE 2 is a view similar to FIGURE 1 showing the spools drawn apart preparatory to being placed in the spool holders,

FIGURE 3 is a front view of the upper portion of a ribbon vibrator shown with the ribbon retaining arms in open positionand the ribbon of FIGURE 2 in place,l

FIGURE 4 is a View Similar to FIGURE 3 showing the arms of the vibrator in closed position about the ribbon,

FIGURE 5 is a View in perspective of a combination ribbon guide and guard with a fragment of the ribbon passing therethrough,

FIGURE 6 is a plan View of the blank of material from which the combination guide and guard is made,

FIGURE 7 is a front view of a modified form of ribbon guide and guard means,

FIGURE 8 is a view in perspective of the ribbon vibrator shown in FIGURE 3 with the ribbon guide of FIGURE 7 applied thereto,

FIGURE 9 is an enlarged section taken on the line 3,047,12l `Fatented July 3l, 1962 9--9 of FIGURE 2 showing how the spool is mounted in a holder,

FIGURE 10 is a view in perspective of one form of ribbon Vspool holder showing the ribbon reverse detector,

FIGURE 11 isY a View in perspective of an adapter, for use with a holder, to rotate the spool, j FIGURE l2 is a View in perspective showing the adapter of FIGURE 1l applied to a standard form of spool holder,

FIGURE 13 is a plan View of a ribbon spool adapted to be used with the form of holder shown in FIGURE l but without the need of an adapter, and

FIGURE 14 is a section taken on the line 14-14 of FIGURE 13.

This application is a division of application Serial No. 709,582, tiled January 17, 1958, now Patent No. 2,930,469 granted March 29, 1960.

Referring to the drawings in detail, 10 indicates a pail"V bon and then, in turn, be disposed of. ,An ink ribbonv 11, lsubstantially half of which is wound on each spool 12, has most of the exposed portion thereof covered by a combination guard and guide means 13 which will serve to protect the fingers of the typist from soiling by the ribbon, and will facilitate the insertion of the ribbon into Vthe vibrator Without wrinkling or twisting.

Each spool 12, upon which the ribbon 1l. is wound, is preferably made `of plastic material molded to provide a thimble 14 (FIG. 9) and upper and lower flanges 16 and 17, respectively. The thimble has a closed top 13 having a circularly arranged row of holes 19 for receiv- 'mg a similarly arranged row of drive pins or tabs 21 eX- tending from the top edge of a hub 22 of a ribbon feed and support mechanism 23 of well known construction, The ribbon feed and reverse mechanism, shown-in FIGS. 9-12, includes a reverse shaft 24 supported in a gear driven tube 26, on whose upper end is formed a disk 27' resting in the bottom of a spool cup 28 supported on any suitable part of the typewriter frame by a bracket 29.

'Ihe upper end of the shaft 24 has pivoted thereto a.

bell crank detector or finger 31 whose rounded free end passes through a slot 32 in the hub 22 to the latter of whichthe detector is pivoted through a suitable bracket 30.

The outer or free end of the detector also passes through any one of a number of peripherally spaced slots 33, formed in the lower or open end of the thimble 14 and in the lower spool ange 17, and presses against the inner reach of the ribbon 11. When the latter is unwound, the bell crank or detector 31 drops the reverse shaft 24 to engage a cam on an operating shaft which is shifted endwise to condition a clutch and reverse the feed of the ribbon. Oneof the pins 21, of each hub 22, is aligned with the slots 32 and 33 so that the spools can be properly positioned without adjustment on theY part of the operator and the pins also relieve the 'detector of the load o'f driving the spool.

l' In another form of structure, as shown in FIGUREA 12the hub 34 is not provided with drive pins or tabs and in order to t the spool unit to a typewriter having this condition, use is made of an adapter 36 of open ended sleeve shape having a vertical slot 37 and a notch 38, which ts over a tab 39, punched inwardly in the wall of the hub 34. This notch and tab combination aligns the slot 37 with a slot 41 of the hub 34 and also positions the adapter at the proper height. The upper edge of the adapter 36 is provided with tabs or pins 42 which engage the holes 19 of the spools to feed the ribbon.

The use of an adapter, as well as drive pins or tabs, is obviated in the form of ribbon spool shown in FIGS. 13 and 14 in which the hub 43 of a spool 44, made of plastic tationY of the member v34 in the normal ribbon feeding operation. as will be later explained, will bring rthe detector into register with one of the slots 46. This action will allow the spool to drop so that the end of the rdetector 31 will be in a slot 46 in position to rotate the spool, as

- the tube 26 is being driven. The seating of the spools in proper place will occur when the detector in either spool holder starts .to rotate when the typewriter is operated.

The form of the spools is such that a minimum amount of attention need be given by the operator when replacing aribbon unit and in the latter operation the ngers of the .typist are protected from soiling and the ribbon is protected against twisting or curling so that it can be quickly ap- 'pliedito the vibrator shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and8 in a minie mum of time. Y Y

In order to accomplish this, the ribbon of each unit is provided with a combination guide and guard means 13,

which as shown in one form in FIGS. V and 6 is shaped, preferably fromV a blank 49 of transparent plastic material, to provide an 'inner'section51`, an outer section 52, a loop section53 and a tab section 54 all relatively foldable on suitable score lines S6 to form a ribbon en.- compassing guide shaped to provide a loop57 at one end, a pair of tabs 58 at the opposite end and an intermediate sleeve 59 having a strengthening overlap 61 along one edge thereof. Y The guard is flexible and self-shaping after it is nished and can beapplied to the ribbon or removed therefrom with ease. .Y When the guards are on the ribbon, the tab-s 58 are disposed between, the edges of the ribbon 11 and the anges 16 and 17 of the spools, as evident inFIG. 9, and thus anchor the guard or guide means to the spool so that when the spools are pulled apartY from the FIG. 1

to the FIG. 2 position, the ribbon is supported in the space between the loops A57, which are now separated just the right distance to be slipped over the Yposts 62, after the movable arms 6 3 are opened to let the ribbon be positioned in the vibrator `64 Without the necessity of the operator touching the ribbon with her fingers.

The guardssupport the ribbon by being in turn supported at their inner ends between the anges of the spool so that the ribonfwill n'ot sag or rub against any of the parts ofthe machine. While separate rightand left hand guards are shown, it'is evident that a guard, by being re;

versed in position,

pair. Y Y v In the form of guard l65, shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the blank is folded to provide inner and outer sleeve or tu be forming sections 66 and 67 respectively, each inner section terminating in a loop 68 through the mediumrof which the guard can be mounted in the vibrator 64. It is to be understood that the term guard is meant to in clude guide, Vvas the guard `65, is reinforced along one edge-'by the overlap 69 of the materiaLfand when grasped between the fingers, can be bent arcuately invits loop portion as shown in FIG. 8, to tauten the ribbon in its exposed portion 71 so that it can be easily placed behind the can furnish the left hand guard of Va opened movable arms 63 of the vibrator and vS0 that the AVribbon in the printing zone.

loop 68 notched as at 72 can, by the latter', be seated on.

the shoulders 73 of the vibrator to accurately position the fed therethrough during typing operations.

The guard may -be applied 'tothe ribbon arranged in package form as shown in FIGS. l Vand Zand'b'eing pliable will cpnform. to the curvature o f the wound ribbon when the spools are arranged in package relation.Y The form of the vibrator ilustrated herein is fullydisclosedin Patent #2,509,862 granted May 30, YI QSQ, to

Dreher.

rWhile I have descn'bed what I consider tobe a highly desirable embodiment of my invention, it is obvious that Y many changes in form could be made without departing from the spirit of the invention and I therefore do not limit myself to the exact form herein shown and described, nor to anything less than the whole ofv my invention'as hereinbefore set forth, and as hereinafter claimed,

What I'laim isl p i I. In a writing machine, a ribbon feed reversing inech anism including trip lever` means, a ribbon spool rotating shaft means including a hub having a circularly arranged row of projections ,and a slot therein through the latter of which said trip lever means projects, aribbon spool having a thimble adapted to t overrs'aid hub and said f Y Vthirnble having'slots for register selectively with the ,slot

in said hub to provideaccessbysaid trip Vlever means to a ribbon found on said hub, and holes inthe thimble for said hub projections providing a driving connection between the shaft means and said ribbon spool.

2. Ina writing machine, a ribbon feed reversing'i'nech-V g anism including trip lever means and slotted ribbon spool rotating shaft means including a-removable sleeve hav` ing projectionsthereon and a slot for passage of said lever means, and a ribbon spool having a perforated and slotted thimble core for capping arrangement with the projections on said sleeve, said projections being' disposed in said perforations to position any slot of said core in register with the slot of said shaft means to provide access by said trip lever means to a ribbon wound having a perforated and slotted thimble core constituting a cap fitting over. said shaft rand sleeve means, theV pron j ections on the latter engaging the perforated coreto'position one of the slots of said core in register withthe slots of said shaft and sleeve means Yto providepaccess by said trip lever means to aribbon wound onisaid spool core.

References Cited in ythe file of this patentVV `V UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,304,216 AThompson Dec; 8, 1942 2,930,469 Roggenstein Mar. 2 9, 1960 The notches 72 also prevent any longitudinal movement of the guard as the ribbon is' 

